Field of the Invention
The invention relates to fluid displacement pumps, specifically for use with air and water, and to the utilization of such pumps for gas compression pumps in internal combustion engines and turbine engines.
Fluid displacement pumps are subject to a variety of applications in engineering. For instance, such pumps are utilized in compression systems such as air compressors and as fluid pumps. For example, British Patent Specification 265,659 to Bernhard discloses an internal combustion engine with fuel pressurization separate from the combustion chamber. There, fuel is pressurized in a compressor and the pressurized fuel is fed from the pump to the engine through a port assembly.
Where such fluid displacement pumps are utilized in compression systems, it is important that the pump is directed from the low-pressure side to the high-pressure side. Continuous backflow and/or backpressure pulsations must be prevented so as to assure efficient operation of the attendant system. In an electrical equivalent diagram, the pump would in effect be modeled as a diode and power source.
It is an object of the invention to provide a fluid displacement pump, which overcomes the disadvantages of the heretofore-known devices and methods of this general type and which is further improved in terms of efficiency and backflow prevention, and which allows essentially continuous pumping output with negligible backflow.
With the foregoing and other objects in view there is provided, in accordance with the invention, a fluid displacement pump, comprising:
a housing formed with a chamber having walls defined by two parallel, mutually intersecting cylindrical openings defining respective cylinder axes; and
a double helix spindle impeller for pumping a fluid through the chamber, the double helix spindle impeller being rotatably mounted about respective axes coaxial with the cylinder axes and having blades sealing against the walls and engaging into one another so as to form a substantially completely closed wall within the chamber during a rotation of the impeller.
In accordance with an added feature of the invention, the blades of one helix of the double helix are spaced apart by a distance defined by the blades of the other helix of the double helix.
In accordance with an additional feature of the invention, the blades enclose an angle of between approximately 45xc2x0 and almost 90xc2x0 with the cylinder axes.
With the above and other objects in view there is also provided, in accordance with the invention, an internal combustion engine, comprising:
an engine block formed with a combustion chamber;
an input system communicating with the combustion chamber for injecting a combustion fluid under increased pressure into the combustion chamber, the input system including a double helix spindle impeller for pumping air into the combustion chamber, and a housing opening with walls sealing against the double helix spindle impeller;
a power output system connected to the combustion chamber for converting energy released in a combustion reaction in the combustion chamber into mechanical work.
In accordance with another feature of the invention, the housing opening is formed with two intersecting circular arches substantially corresponding to a periphery of the impeller and substantially air-tightly sealing off the housing opening.
The displacement pump system disclosed here provides for a substantially continuous fluid flow, such as air flow into the combustion chamber with a minimum in pulsations. Any backpressure from the combustion chamber into the air intake is safely blocked off by the walls of the double-impeller system. At least one continuous wall, preferably two complete walls, are at all times established by the rotating impeller blades and the relative alignment of the impellers.
One of the important features is that the blades of the impeller system are almost flat, i.e., their attack angle relative to backpressure is close to perpendicular so that they will not be turned by a pressurized backflow. The impeller rotation that is introduced via the spindle shafts, however, leads to a volume displacement towards the chamber to be pressurized. The impeller system can be driven with variable speed, which translates proportionally in a variable fluid displacement and/or to a variable pressure buildup.
Other features which are considered as characteristic for the invention are set forth in the appended claims.
Although the invention is illustrated and described herein as embodied in a fluid displacement pump with backflow stop, it is nevertheless not intended to be limited to the details shown, since various modifications and structural changes may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention and within the scope and range of equivalents of the claims.
The construction and method of operation of the invention, however, together with additional objects and advantages thereof will be best understood from the following description of specific embodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawings.